Changes to the Immigration Rules to benefit Japanese businesses and students

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

The UK government this week announced changes to visa and immigration rules that stand to benefit Japanese businesses and students. The changes will give greater flexibility to business visitors and to businesses that employ and sponsor international migrants. This will also make the UK more attractive to Japanese students by allowing them to take up corporate internships after completing their degree and making it easier for graduate entrepreneurs to take up skilled jobs.

The changes to the business visitor route will allow employees to undertake corporate training in the UK where it is delivered by an external company. Global organisations will now be able to bring their own auditors to the UK on a business visitor visa, making it easier for them to complete international audits. Business visitors will also be able to do a short course of study while they are here.

The Home Office has also made changes to the Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) route to enable employees already on this visa to extend it without having to take a language test. The ICT route is already well regarded with business customers telling us that it is “the most user-friendly in the world”. Immigration Minister Mark Harper said:

Today’s changes will ensure that the UK continues to attract global talent to work for British businesses and study at our world-class universities. Immigration reform is working; we have tightened immigration routes where abuse was rife, while still encouraging the brightest and the best to come to the UK.

Individuals on Graduate Entrepreneur visas will be able to switch to a skilled workers visa more easily under the new rules, ensuring that the best global talent is able to stay in the UK to work. They will be able to switch visas for a job with a “new entrant” salary and the sponsor won’t have to complete a Resident Labour Market Test.

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